Prioritize and delegate. Sometimes, there are certain tasks that the farm leader might be able to move to someone else on the farm. As the leader, your time and energy are most profitably spent on the activities that most greatly impact the farm’s bottom line. Basically, the leader should be focusing the majority of their time and energy on the business activities that will bring the highest return to the farm. Getting as much of the “other stuff” off the leader’s plate can free up their focus to strategize about overall business plans, rather than needing to direct every single daily operation. If you have decided on a successor leader or leaders, this is a great opportunity to give them some practice leading additional aspects of the operation. Harvest is a good time to help them step into a more involved leadership role in the operation. Overall, work to prioritize the leadership aspects that only you, as the farm CEO, can do – and focus your efforts there. Delegate as much of "the rest” as possible.

Balance and evaluate. Finding “work-life balance” can be tough when you’re a farm leader, especially if your farm business or shop is literally in your backyard! But creating balance is key for farm leaders who want to continue farming for the long-term and avoid burnout, particularly if stress is running higher due to the ag operating environment and current cycle. Balance will look different for each farm leader – and the leader’s family life situation will likely influence that. Maybe it means some extended vacation getaway time during the farm’s less busy seasons – whatever those look like for your unique farm business. Maybe you set up focused office work hours for yourself each week to work purely on business and financial management – no phone calls, emails, or other requests allowed during those hours. Keep evaluating what works best for your operation along the way and you’ll be able to craft strategies for balance and maintain your stamina and passion for farming throughout your career.